FNMI – First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Professional Learning Project

The First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Professional Learning website provides educators with supports and tools to design and facilitate professional learning. It offers curricular resources that build capacity, engage learners, and build paths toward reconciliation through education.

This website supports individual educators, cohorts, school communities, and entire school authorities. It highlights promising practices and features an extensive digital resource base through Moodle and Google platforms.

Find these resources and supports on four pillar webpages. Each pillar is focused on one of the four goals of the professional learning process.

The How and When to Use this Website Learning Guide highlights the features of this website and stimulates learning, conversation, critical reflection, and the development of implementation approaches and strategies.

How to Use this Website for Your Professional Learning

1 Click or touch each section of the interactive wheel below to explore the understandings, goal, and inquiry focus of the four learning pillars: Learning to Be, Learning to Know, Learning to Do, and Learning to Relate.

2 Build your understanding and capacity by exploring the resources provided on the four pillar webpages.

3 Use the photo tile gallery found here and on each pillar webpage to identify resources that meet the needs of your students and community.

4 Use resources provided on the Process Resources webpage to design your own professional learning process.

As you explore this website and identify those resources that are most relevant for your context and students, watch for icons that signal different types of resources. This website also offers a collection of images that are intended to encourage personal reflection and spark collaborative discussions.

Understandings

Learning to Be is about reflecting on the things you do that define who you are as an educator in your educational community.

You understand that responding to the relationships created with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit community members enhances understanding and awareness of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit perspectives and content in educational programming.

Goal

Learning to Be asks you to develop wise practices to engage First Nations, Métis, and Inuit community members in educational programming.

You independently use your learning to engage First Nations, Métis, and Inuit community members; build relationships; and modify and adapt programming to demonstrate an understanding and awareness of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit perspectives.

Inquiry Focus

In the interest of building relationships with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit community members, you continue to consider:

How does what we do impact who we are?

Use the resource gallery on the Learning to Be pillar webpage to find resources that help you plan a shared vision for including First Nations, Métis, and Inuit perspectives and content in your programs. Use these resources to support your professional learning plan.

Click to go to Learning to Be

Understandings

Learning to Know is about developing foundational knowledge and insightful understanding of historical events and current contextual realities.

You understand that historical events and current contextual realities have a significant impact on First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people and student learning.

Goal

Learning to Know asks you to develop foundational knowledge and reflect insightful understanding of historical events and current contextual realities.

You independently use your learning to evaluate historical events and plan and deliver educational programming. You demonstrate an understanding of the connections between past events and present effects on First Nations, Métis, and Inuit student learning.

Inquiry Focus

In the interest of understanding the impact of historical events and current contextual realities on First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people and its effect on student learning, you continue to consider:

How does knowing relate to understanding?

Use the resource gallery on the Learning to Know pillar webpage to find resources that help you develop knowledge and understanding of historical events and current contextual realities.

Click to go to Learning to Know

Understandings

Learning to Do is about empowering educators with resources and tools and engaging in professional learning to support curricular programming.

You understand that lifelong learning, collaboration, and leadership skills developed through participation in professional learning opportunities builds educator capacity to effectively teach First Nations, Métis, and Inuit perspectives and content to all students.

Goal

Learning to Do asks you plan and deliver curricular programming that acknowledges and honours the rich diversity of Indigenous ways of knowing and doing.

You independently use your learning to select appropriate resources and instructional strategies that reflect an understanding of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit perspectives and content in relation to their regional educational context.

Inquiry Focus

In the pursuit of building capacity, you continue to consider:

How does empowering differ from delegating?

Use the resource gallery on the Learning to Do pillar webpage to find resources that help you build capacity to effectively teach First Nations, Métis, and Inuit perspectives and content to all students.

Click to go to Learning to Do

Understandings

Learning to Relate is about fostering a sense of belonging by creating spaces and places that acknowledge and honour First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people.

You understand that creating relationships with the local First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities enhances educational programming.

Goal

Learning to Relate asks you to design educational spaces that acknowledge and honour First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people, culture, language, and community.

You independently use your learning to access and select resources and create educational programs that reflect a cultural understanding of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities, perspectives, and content.

Inquiry Focus

In the search for resources to enhance educational programming, you will continue to consider:

How does where we learn impact how we learn?

Use the resource gallery on the Learning to Relate pillar webpage to find resources that help you design educational spaces that acknowledge and honour First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people, culture, language, and community. Use these resources to support your professional learning plan.

Click to go to Learning to Relate

The resources in this photo tile gallery provide a “big picture” of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Professional Learning.

Watch videos for an introduction to professional learning and overviews of the pillar goals and strategic pathways that build capacity for you and your students.

Build understandings with foundation resources. Open photo stories to reflect on your understandings and perspectives.

Use the guides, sources, and Google Docs to inform your professional learning process.

Sort these resources by clicking on each resource category below. Mouse over and click the icon or touch the photo tile to access each resource.

All
Videos
Sources
Photo Stories
Google Docs
Guiding Document
Professional Learning Guides
Websites
Foundation Resources

Watch this 10-second video for an introduction to the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Professional Learning Project

Use the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Professional Learning Final Report and Reports from Pilot School Authorities to guide and provide insight

Perspective

Watch this 1-minute video for an overview of the goals for each of the four pillars

Use this Google Doc to explore the goals of each pillar

Watch this 26-second video to learn about strategic pathways

Access the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Professional Learning Guiding Document and combined Professional Learning Guides here

National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation Website & Calls to Action

United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

UNESCO Four Pillars of Learning

Diversity

It’s Our Time AFN Education Tool Kit, Assembly of First Nations ITunes U Course

Champion
Across the province, educators champion the work of finding innovative ways to include First Nations, Métis, and Inuit perspectives and content in all aspects of educational programming. Their commitment is not contingent on a job title but rather, a commitment to learning that is reflective of qualities and abilities closely connected to who they are. Professional learning is most effective when it is designed to provide opportunities to increase self-awareness, allow for personal growth, and follow a strength-based approach to engagement.

"" Major Finding of the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Professional Learning Project

Capacity
Building educator capacity requires professional learning that not only provides opportunities to learn facts and information, but also allows time and space for reflection on how this knowledge informs an understanding of educational practices. Professional learning is most effective when it provides opportunities for educators to engage in experiential activities with peers and Indigenous community members and when there is a relational space for critical reflection on pedagogy.

"" Major Finding of the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Professional Learning Project

Collaboration
Curricular programming that includes First Nations, Métis, and Inuit perspectives and content requires conversation and consultation with regional Indigenous community members, educational leadership, and peers. Professional learning is most effective when it is designed to empower educators to reflect in-depth understandings and foundational knowledge of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit in their educational programming.

"" Major Finding of the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Professional Learning Project

Community Engagement
Creating relational spaces for educational programming requires community engagement, in which the process of teaching and learning is immersed in First Nations, Métis, and Inuit perspectives and content. Professional learning is most effective when it is designed to allow for opportunities for educators to connect with spaces and places where they can build healthy relationships with regional Indigenous community members.

"" Major Finding of the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Professional Learning Project